Machine for rolling tubes



Dec. 22, 1931. c, MEHLUM 1,837,879

MACHINE FOR ROLLING TUBES Filed May 28, 1930 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 22, 1931. Q MEHLUM 1,837,879

MACHINE FOR ROLLING TUBES Filed May 28. 1930 s Sli'ets-Sheet s H HH 0 INVEN+EJRI Patented Dec. 22, 1931 PATENT OFFICE CASPER MEHLUM, O1? WALTHAMI, MASSACHUSETTS MACHINE FOB ROLLING TUBES Application, am Bay 28, 1980. Serial no. 456,429.

In the construction of tubes out of sheet material it is often the case that the tube as first formed has irregularities in the surface which should be smoothed out before the tube is suitable for its intended use.

It is also common to make such tubes out of sheet material. Sometimes the meeting side edges are interlocked, sometimes they abut and sometimes they have a lapped seam which by reason of the overlap of the edges of the sheet out of which the tube is formed resultsin a thickening of the wall along the line of the overlap. Sometimes there are variations in thickness due to other causes, or there may be wrinkles. For many uses it is important that the surface shall be rolled down to reduce the extra thickness or to iron out the irregularities. This is especially true of cylindrical tubes made of metal and seamed together along the overlap which by reason of the solder or brazing material employed to unite the overlapping portions makes, as it were, a three-ply thickness along the line of the overlap. Another advantage of rolling down the shell is to render the shell of uniform hardness throughout. Another advantage is to render it capable of equal resistance to the internal pressure, especially where the tube is used for tank shells or for conduits for liquid which subjects the tubes to great internal pressure.

- The object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for rolling tubes to accomplish the above mentioned results, and to provide such a machine which can be operated more economically and do the work with less attention and more rapidly than it can be done with machines in common use.

r The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying draw.- ings and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention together with means whereb the latter may be carried into efl'ect, wil best be understood from the following description of. a preferred embodiment and one use thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the particular construction and operation described and illustrated have been chosen for purposes of exemplification merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise embodied and used withdut departure from the spirit and scope thereof.

In the drawings: 7 v

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation as viewed from the left of Fig. 1. v F Fig. 4; is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1,- but showing the relative position of the parts with the carriage at one end of its travel.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate successive positions of the mechanism for releasing one end of the mandrel for the insertion or removal of the work.

The work to be subjected to the rolling operation is herein illustrated as a hollow cylindrical shell open at both ends, such as is commonly employed in the manufacture of tanks, boilers and the like. A shell of this type is constructed from sheet metal, usually of copper or iron, which is shaped into cylin-. drical form with the proximate ends thereof overlapped and brazed.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, there is shown at M a mandrel upon which the shell or Work W is supported for engagement with the tool or ironing member during the rolling operation and by which the work is intermittently fed to the tool as the rolling operation progresses. For the above purposes the mandrel, which extends through the shell lengthwise of the machine and as shown in Fig. 1 projects through and beyond the front and rear ends thereof, is rotatively supported in bearings at each end of the machine.

The rear support or hearing, indicated at 20, engages and supports the mandrel at the underside thereof and is fixed to a cross member 21 secured to the frame A. This permits the forward end-of the mandrel to be tipped down slightly about said support as a fulcrum for a purpose to be hereinafter described. To limit this tipping movement, the reduced rear end 22 of the mandrel is engaged on its upper side by a stop 23 which is spaced from said support 20, rearwardly thereof, and is I fixed to a cross member 24 secured to a rearward extension of the frame. The stop 23 is out of engagement with said mandrel when the machine is in operation as indicated by the space 23a between 22 and 23 (see Figs. 1 and 5). The stop 23 also prevents lengthwise displacement of the mandrel due to its engagement with the shoulder 25 thereof on one side of said stop and with a worm gear 26 secured to said mandrel on the other side of said stop.

In accordance with one feature of the invention the front end of the mandrel that projects beyond the frame of the machine is suspended in a U-shaped strap or sling 30 having its ends pivoted at 2 to a handle member 32 at an intermediate point thereon as shown in Fig. 1. The handle 32 is of inverted U- shape with its ends pivoted by pivot 3 to a bracket 4 secured to the frame (see particularly Figs. 1 and 3). As shown more clearly in Fig. 1, where the machine is in operation the handle 32 is inclined towards the machinewith its free end rest-ing against the upper portion thereof. The pivotal connection 2, therefore, lies between the pivotal connection 3 and the plane of the frame against which the upper handle rests, and the tendency of theforces. exerted on the sling 30 by the mandrel M, is to more firmly lock these parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. The sling 30 which constitutes the front bearing for the mandrel is therefore adapted to be disengaged from said mandrel for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The tool or ironing member employed for the rolling operation comprises a roller 40, preferably of hardened steel. which is adapted to engage the outer surface. of the shell at the upper side thereof. It is journalled in boxes 15 mounted and vertically slidable in the side members 41 of a carriage C, which is supported at either end by rolls 42 that engage and travel on the upper surface of a plate or track 43 at either edge thereof (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4). The track 43 is secured by rivets 45 (see Fig. 4) or other means to the under side of an-I-beam 46 which extends lengthwise of the machine above the mandrel and in parallel relation thereto. 5

The carriage C is adapted to be moved back and forth along the track to carry the tool or roller 40 over the work during the rolling operation. Any suitable means may be employed for giving to said carriage a reciprocating movement, the means shown including gearing indicated at 47 (see Fig. 1) which may be drivenby a belt and pulley from a source of power not shown, and which transmits motion through cranks 48, connecting rods 49, swinging arms 50 and links 51 to said carriage.

It will thus be seen that the carriage C mounted on the rolls 42 which serve as Wheels, may be moved back and forth along the plate 43 which serves as a track secured to the under side of the I-beam. Side rolls 52 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4) rotatably mounted in the side frames 41, engage the plate 43 at either edge thereof to prevent side play as said carriage is moved along over the work.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, a roller 53 of the same diameter as the roller 40 is installed in a similar manner in the carriage-O between said roller 40 and the plate 43 and engages both the roller 40 and the plate 43. This construction eliminates friction and permits the tool to move freely across the work regardless of the pressure exerted thereon.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the I-beam ends which extend slightly beyond the frame of the machine are engaged by coiled springs 60 interposed between the top of the I-beam and blocks 61 slidably mounted in the frame. The blocks 61 are engaged by screws 62 threaded in the frame, whereby the pressure of the springs may be adjusted. The I-beam is braced by a rod 63 as shown in Fig. 1 to prevent springing.

It will thus be seen that a spring-pressed tool is provided whereby any desired pressure may be quickly and easily obtained. Furthermore as the resistance to the tool increases by its encounter with high spots on the work. the pressure of the tool increases and therefore the high spots receive greater pressure than the low spots with the resulting tendency to produce a wall of even thickness. Thus the pressure of the tool will automatically vary to correspond with irregularities in the surface of the work or to the variations in distance between the plane of movement of the tool and the surface of the work.

It will also be seen that so-called bounding of the .tool, which has a tendency to occur at the beginning of each stroke as the tool engages the work, is prevented by; the spring pressure. This is an important advantage because it permits a quicker stroke of the tool with the result that the work is completed in much less time than wasformerly required. In actual practice it has been found that a machine embodying the invention can turn out completed work at a rate of four to five times as fast as was previously permitted.

A further advantage of the foregoing construction relates to the rolling of the seam which is indicated at s in Figs. 3 and 4. As was previously stated the proximate edges of the shell were overlapped and brazed resulting in a thickness at this point equivalent to practically three ply. The reduction andsmoothing out of this part of the shell has beenaccomplished heretofore by another operation consisting of hammering either manuallyor by power. A machine employing the present invention as above described will roll this seam down at the same time that it rolls the rest of the shell'due to the increase in tool-pressure caused by increased resistance resulting from the thicker wall at this point. Thus a great saving in time and labor is effected with a consequent increase in efliciency..

In accordance with another feature of the invention means is provided to limit the movement of the tool in a direction at right angles to its travel. This comprises abutments orwedges 5 which are mounted at each end of the machine beneath the ends of the I-beam 46 and preferably directly beneath the coiled springs 6 0 (seeparticularly Figs. 1 and 6). These wedges are seated on comple mentary shaped blocks 6 secured to the frame, and may be adjusted to vary their effective height and the consequent inward limit of the I-beam, by screws 7 threaded in said blocks and engaging said wedges.

When the machine is in operation with the tool engaging the work- (Figs. 1 and 6) to begin rolling down the tube, the I-beam will be raised off the wedges. As the rolling opera.- tion progresses and the wall of the tube is rolled down smoother and thinner. the I- beam will settle down and be forced closer to the wedges by the springs 60 and as the operation is completed when the tube wall has been rolled down to the predetermined thickness, the I-beam will have settled far enough will also be seen by reference to Fig. 7 that when the tool has moved off the work at the end of each stroke to permit the work to be the work.

It will beunderstood that the tool moves off the work at the end of each stroke to permit the work to be moved in a partial rotation to present a new portion to be rolled.

Any suitable means may be employed for feeding the work intermittently. The means shown includes a rod 80 slidably mounted in uprights 81 secured to the ends of the frame. See Fi 1 and 2. Depending from said rod and adjustably fixed thereto are pins a and a which are respectively adapted to be engaged by a pin 6 projecting from the carriage C as it moves to the end of its stroke in either direction. The rod 80 is connected by a link 82 to the free end of an arm 83 pivoted at 84 to a bracket 85 secured to the frame. The arm 83 is provided with rolls 8 that engage a lever 86 pivotally mounted on a shaft 11 journalled in brackets in the frame. A pawl 9, mounted on the lever 86, engages a ratchet 87 secured to the shaft 11 which also has secured thereto a worm 88. The worm 88 meshes mandrel. Thus due to the frictional engagement between the mandrel and the work, it

will partially rotate the work to present a new portion to the tool. In Fig. 7 the carriage is shown at the end of its stroke in one direction with the tool or roller 40 completely off the work and the pin 6 engaging the pin a on the slide rod 80 at the completion of the work-feeding movement.

When the rolling operation is completed and the finished work is to be withdrawn from the machine and a new piece is to be inserted, the handle32 is first turned down to the position hown in Fig. 8. This releases the sling 3 from engagement with the mandrel, the forward end of which drops from the dotted line position to the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 8. This tipping movement of the mandrel takes place about the rear bearing 20 as a fulcrum and is limited by the stop 23 previously referred to. See'Fig. 1. Its purpose is to ensure actual support of the mandrel by both bearings 20 and 30 when the machine is in operation. With the sling 3O released-from'the mandrel, it is only necessary to turn the sling about its pivot 2 in an outward direction until it is substantially on a level with the handle as shown in Fig. 8,'after which both the sling and the the machine.

handle may be turned up intothe position shown in Fig. 9 against the upper portion of This leaves the area about the mandrel at the front of the machine entirely unobstructed and facilitates the removal or insertion of the work.

A machine embodying the invention has been found in actual practice to be more eflicient than machines previously employed for doing similar work. The quality of the work has also been greatly superior in respect to thickness, which has been uniform throughout, in respect to surface appearance which has been smoother, and in respect to hardness which has been more nearly uniform.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for rolling the surfaces of tubes to smooth the surface and equalize the thickness of the wall of the tube, a mandrel on which the tube is mounted, means for intermittently rotating the mandrel and thereby rotating the tube on its axis, an ironing member, means for causing the ironing member to move on the outer surface of the tube and means controlled by the varying distances between that portion of the outer surface of the tube which is immediately engaged by the ironing member and that portion of the inner surface of the tube which is engaged by the mandrel to increase the pressure when the said distance'between the ironing member and the mandrel increases, a carriage in which the ironing member is mounted, a track on which the carriage moves, and means for adjusting the elevation of said track to vary the plane of travel of the ironing member in relation to the surface of the work.

2. In a machine for rolling the surface of tubes. a mandrel for supporting the tube during the rolling,said mandrel being of greater length than said tube, bearings to receive and support the mandrel at points beyond the opposite ends of the tube, one of said bearings being a hanger pivotally mounted at its upper end in such manner that it may be swung outwardly out of engagement with the mandrel thereby leaving the proximate end of the mandrel free to permit the sliding of tubes on and off of said mandrel, a lever fulcrumcd at one end to a fixed support and normally extending upward from said pivot, said lever being pii'oted intermediate its ends to said swinging hanger bearing, said lever being adapted to be turned down on its pivotal connection with the said fixed support and thereby to lower said hanger bearing to permit its release from the mandrel.

' 3. In a machine for rolling the surface of tubes. a mandrel for supporting the tube during the rolling, said mandrel being of greater length than said tube. hearings to receive and support the mandrel at points beyond the opposite ends of the tube, one of said bearings being a hanger pivotally mounted at its upper end in such manner that it may be swung outwardly out of engagement with the mandrel thereby leaving the proximate end of the mandrel free to permit the sliding of tubes on and off of said mandrel, and a lever fulcrumed at one end to a fixed support and normally extending upwardly from said pivot, said lever being pivoted intermediate its ends to said swinging hanger bearing, said lever being adapted to be turned down on its pivotal connection with the fixed support and thereby to lower said hanger bearing to permit its release from the mandrel, said lever normally standing at an inclined position with its upper end extending inwardly when the hanger is in its operative position.

4. In a machine for rolling the surface of tubes, a roller, a carriage in which said roller is rotatably mounted, a track for said carriage, a second roller above said first roller and engaging said first roller and said track, both of said rollers being slidable in said carriage in a direction toward the work.

5. In a machine for rolling the surface of tubes, a roller, a carriage in which said roller is rotatably mounted, a track for said carriage, a second roller above said first roller and engaging said first roller and said track, both of said rollers being slidable in said carriage in a direction toward the work, and pressure mechanism operative to press the track toward the work and thereby press the work engaging roller against the work.

6. In a machine for rolling the surfaces, of tubes, a mandrel for supporting the tube, a roller, a carriage in which said roller is mounted, a track for said carriage, means for supporting said track when said roller is on the work, means for reciprocating said'carriage on saidtrack and thereby causing the roller to move along the surface of the work to a point beyond the same and abutments upon which said track will rest when the roller rides ofi the work.

7 In a machine for rolling the surfaces of tubes, a mandrel for supporting the tube, a roller, a carriage in which said roller is mounted, a track for said carriage, means for supporting said track when said roller is on the work, means for reciprocating said carriage on said track and thereby causing the roller to move along on the surface of the work and abutments upon which the track will rest when the roller is not engaged by the work.

8. In a machine for rolling the surfaces of tubes, a mandrel for supporting the tube, a roller, a carriage in which said roller is mounted, a track for said carriage, means for supporting said track when said roller is on the work, means for reciprocating said carriage on said track and thereby causing the roller to move along on the surface of the work, abutments upon which the track will rest when the roller is not engaged by 'vation said abutments with relation to said mandrel.

9. In a machine for rolling the walls of tubes, a support for the tube, an ironing member, a carriage therefor, means for moving the carriage to cause the ironing member to travel over the surface of the tube to reduce the thickness and smooth out irregularities in the wall of the tube, a track for said carriage, said track being supported on said ironing member while the ironing member is supported by the work, the track and carriage being free to be lowered as the ironing member is gradually lowered by reason of the re ducing thickness of the wall of the tube and a stop to limit the downward movement of said track when the wall of the tube is re duoed to a predetermined thickness.

. 10. In a machine for rollingthe walls of tubes, a support for the tube, an ironing member, a carriage therefor, means for moving the carriage to cause the iromng member to travel over the surface of the tube to reduce the thickness and smooth out irregularities in the wall of the tube, a track for said carriage, said track being supported on said ironing member while the ironing member is supported by the work, thetrack and carriage being free to be lowered as the ironing member is gradually lowered by reason of the reducing thickness of the wall of the tube, a stop to limit the downward movement of said track when the wall of the tube is reduced to a predetermined thickness, and means for regulating the limit of the downward movement of said track.

11. In a machine for ironin an article to reduce it to a predetermined thlckness, a support for the work, an ironing member, a

, holder therefor, a trackfor the holder, means for reciprocating the holder on said track and thereby reciprocating the ironing member, the track being mounted in such manner thatit yields downwardly as the work is thinned down whereby the ironing member is automatically maintained in contact with the work and lowered to correspond with the thinning down of the work, and a stop to limit the downward movement of the track and ironing member when the work has been reduced to a predetermined thickness.

12. In a machine for ironing an article to reduce it to a predetermined thickness, a support for the work, an ironing member, a holder therefor, a track for the holder, means for reciprocating the holder on said track and thereby reciprocating the ironing member, the track being mounted in such manner that it yields downwardly as the work is thinned down whereby the ironing member is auto matically maintained in contact with the work and lowered tocorrespond with the thinning down of the work, a stop to limit the downward movement of the track and ironing member when the work has been re duced to a predetermined thickness, and means for adjusting said stop to difierent positions and thereby regulate the extent of the downward drop.

13. In a machine for ironing the wall of a tube to reduce it to a predetermined thickness andsmoothness, a support for the work,

an ironing member, means for moving the ironing member under pressure on the work,

a guide for the ironing member, said guide and ironing member being free to move downward and maintain the ironing member .m contact with the work as fast as the work is-thinned down, and means for limiting the downward movement of the ironing member when the work has been thinned down to a predetermined degree.

14. In a machine for rolling the surface of tubes, a mandrel for supporting the tube during the rolling, said mandrel being of greater length than saidtube, a roller, means for causing the roller to move on the surface of the tube and to move ofi of the work at each end of its stroke, a carriage in which said roller is mounted and means actuated by said carriage as it movesto the end of its I stroke to partially rotate the mandrel and thereby to partially rotate the work.

15. In a machine for rolling the surfaces of tubes to equalize the thickness of the wall of the tube, a mandrel on which the tube is mounted, means for rotating the mandrel and thereby rotating the tube on its axis, an iron ing member, means for causing the ironing member to move on the outer surface of the tube, means controlled by the varying distances between that portion of the outer surface of the tube which is immediately engaged by the ironing member and that portion of the inner surface of the tube which is engaged by the mandrel to increase the pressure when the said distance between the ironing member and the mandrel increases, and means to vary the plane of travel of the ironing member in relation to the surface of the work.

16. In a machine for rolling the surface of tubes, a mandrel for supporting the tube during the rolling, bearings to receive and support the mandrel at points beyond the opposite ends of the tube, one of said bearings being pivotally mounted at one end in such manner that it may be swung out of engagement with the mandrel thereby leaving the proximate end of the mandrel free to permit the sliding of tubes on and off of said mandrel, a lever-fulcrumed at one end to a fixed support and normally extending upward from said pivot, said lever being piv-. oted intermediate its ends to said swinging bearing, said lever being adapted to be turned on its pivot connection with the said fixed support and thereby to lower said bearing to permit its release from the mandrel.

17 In a machine for rolling the surfaces of tubes to equalize the thickness of the wall of the tube, a mandrel on which the tube is mounted, an ironing member, means for causing the ironing member to move on the outer surface of the tube, means controlled by the varying distances between that portion of the outer surface of the tube engaged by the ironing member and the inner surface of the tube engaged by the mandrel to vary the pressure when the distance between the ironing member and the mandrel varies, and means to vary the plane of travel of the ironing member with relation to the surface of the work.

18. In a machine for smoothing the surfaces of tubes, a mandrel for supporting a tube, a smoothing member, means for causing the smoothing member to reciprocate on the surface of the tube, and means whereby the tube will be partially rotated on its axis at a predetermined point in the movement of the smoothing member.

19. In a machine for ironing the surfaces of tubes, a mandrel for supporting a tube, an ironing member, means for causing the ironing member to reciprocate on the surface of the tube in the axial direction of the tube, and means controlled b movement of the ironing member where y the tube will be partially rotated on its axis at a predetermined point in the movement of the ironing member.

20. In a machine for thinning down and smoothing the walls of tubes, a mandrel for supporting a tube, an ironing member, a reciprocable carriage for the ironing member, mechanism for rotating the mandrel in a step by step movement and intermediate mechanism actuated by the said carriage at a predetermined point in its movement to actuate the mechanism for rotating the mandrel upon its axis through a predetermined arc.

21. In a machine for thinning down and smoothing the walls of tubes, a mandrel for supporting a tube, an ironing member, a carrier therefor, a track, means for reciprocating the carrier on the track while the ironing member moves along on the surface of the tube, a vertically yieldable support for the track which yields as the tube is thinned down, a spring which exerts downward pressure on the support for the track to maintain the ironing member in pressing engagement with the tube and a stop which limits the downward movement of the track support.

22. In a machine for thinning down and smoothing the walls of tubes, a mandrel for supporting a tube, an ironing member, a carrier therefor, 21 track, means for reciprocating the carrier on the track while the ironing member moves along on the surface of the tube. a vertically yieldable support for the track which yields as the tube isthinned down, a spring which exerts downward pres- CASPER MEHLUM. 

